Category Archives: Lifestyle

Both shoe trees and shoe stretchers are shoe inserts that are shaped like feet. You may have heard that shoe trees ‘stretch’ the leather – so what is a “shoe stretcher” then? What is the difference between a shoe tree and a shoe stretcher anyway? Which should you get? Shoe trees keeps leather shoes in…

Before exploring the different benefits that pinewood and hardwood shoe stretchers have, it should be mentioned that shoe inserts made of unfinished wood are always better than plastic ones. This is because unfinished wood can wick sweat moisture of of the leather linings, which prevents lining rot. In this article, we will be comparing the…

You are likely on this page because the shoelaces your dress shoes came with snapped, and you’ve just realized that you’d never figured out how to lace your own shoes. However, the function of shoelaces (also known as “shoestrings”) extend far beyond keeping your footwear secure, they’re also one of the quickest, easiest, and economical…

Before plastics were invented, polished horn was the choice material for buttons, shoe horns, combs, spectacle frames, mugs etc. Like plastic, horns are relatively lightweight, long-lasting, and easy to work with. With the advent of plastics, however, the synthetic material has widely taken the place of the traditional horn, producing cheaper and more aesthetically-perfect products.…

The really short answer: ask your shoemaker (or whichever merchant you are purchasing shoe products from). Depending on your shoemaker, your shoe size may convert differently between the different sizing systems. Apart from that, the cutting and width of each shoe will ultimately affect which size you wear for that particular model. This is why…

Shoes make the man – the quality of your shoes reveals how much you respect yourself. While not necessarily a good thing, people may make judgements about your occupation and income just from what you wear, and maybe even what you’re like as a person – shoes are like a resume on your feet. Just…

If you have tried to purchase a leather wallet, or a pair of leather shoes from a departmental store, chances are you’d have seen a ‘Genuine Leather’ mark somewhere on the product. Most people will assume that just because it is 100% genuine leather, it’ll be extremely durable and age beautifully. This false belief arises from the misconception…

What is Man-made leather? Also commonly known as faux leather, pleather or synthetic leather, man-made leather is commonly made from polyvinyl chloride, called PVC, and polyurethane, called PU leather. Sheets of these polymers are heat-stamped with an artificial leather grain to make them look like leather. Large quantities of these polymers can be easily produced at low cost,…

Shoe trees are not commonly thought of as a Christmas gift. Traditionally, Christmas gifts are glitzy, extravagant, and put aside forever in a cupboard come the 25th December morning – things like photo frames, table lamps, and clocks may look good in design but serve little function. Other more personal artifacts like shirts, watches, or…